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Research Officer - Social Justice

Can you provide impartial research and analysis on issues relating to social justice?

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Research officers work directly with Assembly Members and Committees in the production of non-partisan, objective and evidence-based research.​

Research Officer - Social Justice

What we're looking for

The main duties and responsibilities of the job include:

  • Engage with individual MLAs, Assembly Committees and the senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat in order to understand their research requirements;
  • Retrieve and synthesise information from a wide range of sources, including on-line databases;
  • Provide timely, accurate, high quality and impartial research and analysis on social justice issues to individual MLA, Assembly Committees and the senior managers within the Assembly Secretariat;
  • Produce a range of research outputs including customised research papers, legislative analysis briefings, and blog posts which are well written, concise and accessible;
  • Present research briefings to Assembly Committees and respond to Committee members’ questions in public session.
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What we're offering
  • Salary range: £44,601-£45,947
  • The standard working week is 37 hours, excluding meal breaks (42 hours gross).
  • An annual leave allowance of 25 days, increasing incrementally by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days
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Essential Criteria

Applicants must, by the closing date (12 noon 13th March 2020):

1. Be in possession of at least an upper second-class (2:1) honours degree (or equivalent) through which candidates have gained an understanding of the development and analysis of public policy or law making;

AND

2. At least two years’ post degree (or equivalent) work experience of;

a) conducting objective, evidence-based research, requiring the collation and validation of a wide range of data (qualitative and quantitative), on social justice issues;

b) producing and delivering evidence-based research briefings on social justice issues to decision makers.

Are you up for the challenge?

Completed forms must be submitted by
12 noon 13th March 2020

Quick Q&A for this job...​

The salary range is £44,601-£45,947. This is an Assembly Grade 5 position. 

The Research and Information Service (RaISe) is part of the Assembly’s Legal, Governance and Research Services Directorate. 

Research Teams provide the Northern Ireland Assembly with impartial, objective, timely and non-partisan information and research.

The successful candidate will be accountable to the Senior Research Officer.

The successful applicant will be based in Parliament Buildings, Belfast.

Completed application forms must be submitted by 12 noon 13th March 2020.

TESTIMONIALS

What's it like to be a research officer?

I enjoy working as a researcher as it gives me job satisfaction to see independent impartial research and presentations we provide impacting on decision-making. Our work is used by MLAs and Committees to directly inform their examination and recommendations around developing proposed legislation and policies. Both the breadth of our remit and external engagement ensures a varied and interesting role.
Dr Janice ThompsonResearch Officer
Working in RaISe, we often need to present our research findings to MLAs at short notice, whilst this can be challenging it is also very rewarding. I feel uniquely privileged interacting with Members and helping them make policy decisions founded on evidenced based research that I have produced.
Michael ScholesResearch Officer
I really enjoy working as a Researcher for the Assembly. The type of research we do is important; the breadth of our remits make it interesting and always changing. We also get to see first-hand the impact our work has as we help Members and Committees to examine legislation that affects our everyday lives.
Suzie CaveResearch Officer
Working as a Research Officer within Raise means having the opportunity to work closely with decision makers as they set the political agenda for Northern Ireland. Whether it is producing research papers for committees or briefings for members, my research makes an important contribution on a wide range of issues that affect people in their everyday lives. There is, quite simply, no other organisation where my work would have the impact that it does here at the Assembly.
Ray McCaffreyResearch Officer
I really enjoy working in the Research Service here at the Assembly. We have an opportunity to play a role in helping the legislative process through our research and we gain a unique perspective on the way a legislature functions. The Research Service has a strong team ethos while also supporting us to work independently in our subject areas--we also have opportunities to develop both personally and professionally.
Des McKibbinResearch Officer
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Application Pack: Research Officer - Social Justice

Below you will find everything you need to apply for the position.

What does a Research Team do?

Our researchers work within specialist portfolios located in four research teams:

  • Health and Social Care, Statistics and Mapping
  • Political Institutions, Equality, Justice, Families and Education
  • Communities, Infrastructure and Environment
  • Finance and Economics

Together, supported by the Library within RaISe, the Research Teams provide the following services:

  • In-depth, analytical briefings regarding policy, legislation and public finance
  • Bill papers addressing Executive and non-Executive legislative proposals
  • Research to assist Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) develop proposals for private member’s legislation
  • Research to help MLAs respond to matters of concern to their constituents
  • Statistical services addressing all aspects relating to the collection and use of data
  • Mapping services and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
  • Workshops and seminars, including the Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series’ (KESS) which is delivered in partnership with local universities

See what a research paper looks like

All research papers produced by our researchers is published on the Assembly website. Our researchers also produce informative blog articles, based on the work that they have done, which are published on our 'Research Matters' microsite.

Watch a researcher briefing a Committee

Assembly Researcher, Mark Allen, briefs the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on his research into the UK Government Agriculture Bill and the potential effects on Northern Ireland...

If you would like to view Mark’s full briefing to the Committee you can watch it on the Assembly’s TV site.

The Selection Process

An eligibility sift will be carried out on the basis of the information contained in the essential criteria section of the application form. You must therefore demonstrate clearly in your form how, and to what extent, you meet with the essential criteria for the post.

The selection panel reserve the right to use shortlisting as part of the selection process for this post. Should shortlisting be used, the shortlisting criteria listed in the Job Specification will be applied.

The interview will address the information contained in the Job Specification and will assess Experience, Technical, Assembly Skills and Behaviours and Strengths elements of the Recruitment and Selection Framework.

Part of the interview process will be the delivery of a presentation. The subject of the presentation will be advised to the applicant on the day of the interview and the applicant will be expected to present information to the selection panel.

Interviews are planned for week commencing 20th April 2020.

The selection panel reserves the right to hold a further interview stage if deemed necessary.

Further Information

If you require more information on the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Office on 02890 520327.

Visit our website for further information about the Assembly.

Good Luck

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